{"id":3240,"date":"2024-12-20T17:46:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T16:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mijn.host\/blog\/how-to-choose-the-best-font-for-your-website\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T16:28:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T14:28:00","slug":"how-to-choose-the-best-font-for-your-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/how-to-choose-the-best-font-for-your-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose the Best Font for Your Website"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Selecting the right font for your website is a less simple task than it initially seems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choose a few fonts that you find aesthetically pleasing and slap them on your site? Not so fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not every font is suitable for websites. And it&#8217;s not just about the visual aspect: randomly using fonts for your site can also lead to technical issues (more on this later).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After developing over 30 websites, I have a pretty good idea of what goes into choosing fonts for a website. In this concise article, you&#8217;ll read everything you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"7-tips-for-choosing-a-font-for-your-website\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7 tips for choosing a font for your website<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are my top tips for choosing fonts for your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"1-readability-above-all\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Readability above all<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This might seem like a no-brainer. Yet you&#8217;ll surprisingly encounter many websites with fonts that are not very easy to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Creative-looking, flamboyant fonts may give your site a unique character. But as soon as readability is at stake, it\u2019s wise to opt for something less adventurous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, make sure that your font is at least 16 pixels in size (18 pixels, or even more, often works better).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And ensuring that the font is readable on every screen size (check your site on your phone as well) is very important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"2-choose-no-more-than-two-fonts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Choose no more than two fonts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choosing more than two fonts brings a few issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your site will look messy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019ll notice a negative impact on your website&#8217;s loading times<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Select a font for your headings, and choose one for the \u201cbody\u201d text (used in your paragraphs, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On many of my websites, I even stick to just a single font. I mostly choose this due to loading times. A second font won&#8217;t have a noticeable impact on your site&#8217;s speed, but for a speed enthusiast like myself, every millisecond counts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"3-choose-a-font-that-matches-your-brand\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Choose a font that matches your brand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is your brand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Modern and minimalist? Then opt for a sans-serif font (for example, Lato, Open Sans).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elegant and professional? Serif would suit better (for example, Merriweather, Playfair Display).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creative and light? Display or script fonts might work (but, as mentioned above, keep an eye on readability!).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You would expect a different font on a yoga website than on the site of a law firm. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. Create contrast by combining fonts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s an example of a website I manage where I chose two highly contrasting fonts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"650\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" src=\"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/voorbeeld-contrasterende-lettertypes.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1902\" srcset=\"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/voorbeeld-contrasterende-lettertypes.png 1000w, https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/voorbeeld-contrasterende-lettertypes-300x195.png 300w, https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/voorbeeld-contrasterende-lettertypes-768x499.png 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PT Serif for the body, and Montserrat for the titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stylistic clash of these fonts works very well. When choosing two fonts, you don&#8217;t want them to look too much alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later in this article, you&#8217;ll find more examples of fonts that pair well together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>EXTRA TIP:<\/strong> Every professionally designed website maintains a fixed ratio when it comes to different headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) and the standard text. So, don&#8217;t choose the size of your different text types based on what \u201cfeels right.\u201d A tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/typescale.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Typescale<\/a> can ensure that the size of your various text types is well-coordinated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"5-review-your-font-on-different-browsers-and-devices\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Review your font on different browsers and devices<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes a font may not render well on a particular browser or device. Therefore, it&#8217;s crucial to test this thoroughly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"6-pay-attention-to-performance\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6. Pay attention to performance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use so-called <em>web safe<\/em> fonts or fonts that are optimized for fast loading times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts offer free, web-optimized fonts (you can read more about Google Fonts below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"7-consider-accessibility\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7. Consider accessibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Relating to the first point: the internet is also used by the visually impaired and elderly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Especially for these groups, the accessibility of your website is very important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make sure that your font color contrasts strongly with the page background. And ensure your text isn\u2019t too thin or elaborate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"my-advice-use-google-fonts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>My advice: use Google Fonts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a website owner, I would always recommend using Google Fonts if possible. Here&#8217;s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The selection is vast. With over 1,000 fonts, you should be able to find a suitable font for any project.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Works well on all browsers and devices. Google fonts are <em>web-safe<\/em>, so you don&#8217;t have to worry about them looking off on a particular browser or gadget.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fast loading times. Google Fonts are hosted on Google\u2019s lightning-fast servers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easy to integrate. Google offers easy-to-follow <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/fonts\/docs\/getting_started\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">instructions<\/a> so you can get their fonts working on your site in no time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&#8217;s free. You don&#8217;t have license fees like with some other fonts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you using <a href=\"https:\/\/my.host\/wordpress-hosting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WordPress<\/a>? Then you&#8217;re in luck. Many popular WordPress themes like Kadence and GeneratePress have Google Fonts integration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I personally use Google Fonts on all my websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"456\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" src=\"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-fonts.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1903\" srcset=\"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-fonts.png 1000w, https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-fonts-300x137.png 300w, https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-fonts-768x350.png 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"finding-out-what-font-a-website-uses\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Finding out what font a website uses<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you come across a website with a font you like? Here&#8217;s how you can see which font is used (in Chrome).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Select the text, right-click and choose Inspect. Scroll down in the window that appears under the Styles section, and eventually, you will find the font being used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"461\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" src=\"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/chrome-inspect.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/chrome-inspect.png 1000w, https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/chrome-inspect-300x138.png 300w, https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/chrome-inspect-768x354.png 768w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"examples-of-fonts-that-pair-well-together\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Examples of fonts that pair well together<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want to use multiple fonts, you might try one of the following pairings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Title font<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Body font<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Why it works<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Playfair Display<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Lato<\/strong><\/td><td>Classic and modern, elegant and readable.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Merriweather<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Open Sans<\/strong><\/td><td>Balanced and very readable for longer texts.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Roboto Slab<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Roboto<\/strong><\/td><td>Consistent, sleek appearance with a technical flair.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Oswald<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Montserrat<\/strong><\/td><td>Bold and geometric, ideal for modern websites.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Poppins<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Source Sans Pro<\/strong><\/td><td>Friendly, professional, and versatile.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Bebas Neue<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Nunito<\/strong><\/td><td>Strong headings with fluent, readable body text.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Raleway<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Roboto<\/strong><\/td><td>Elegant for titles and reliable for text.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Lora<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Muli<\/strong><\/td><td>Literary and modern, perfect for blogs.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Abril Fatface<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Work Sans<\/strong><\/td><td>Dramatic and striking, ideal for creative sites.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Dancing Script<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Quicksand<\/strong><\/td><td>Playful yet readable for artistic websites.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Google Fonts, you can compose even more font pairs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing the right font for your website is not as simple a task as it may seem at first glance. Just picking a few fonts that you think look nice and slapping them on your site? Not so fast. Not every font is suitable for websites. And it&#8217;s not just about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hide_cta_migrate_site":false,"hide_toc_block":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[228],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":3240,"nl":1900},"pll_sync_post":{},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3240"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3354,"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3240\/revisions\/3354"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}